Cincinnati Bengals Demand Void Clauses In Shemar Stewart’s Rookie Contract

If The Bengals' owner stands firm on his decision, negotiations similar to Knight Jr may seal the deal.

July 22, 2026

This article was last updated by Alisha Shrestha on July 22, 2026

Shemar Stewart was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals as a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL draft; however, the rookie is yet to sign a contract due to the team’s demands for a Void Clause.

The 21-year-old Footballer was the 17th overall pick in the draft and was guaranteed a four-year contract (plus one extendable year) worth over $18 million.

Even with this staggering contract for a Rookie player, Stewart’s camp doesn’t want to sign the contract as the heated dispute continues.

If this continues for the past ten weeks, the Defensive End player won’t be eligible to represent the Cincinnati Bengals.

Even though this is the first case to happen in the Bengals’ history, a similar dispute occurred before with Joey Bosa, with the Chargers in 2016, but he eventually signed the contract.

Both Owner And Agent Stand Their Ground

While the Bengals’ Team Owner, Mike Brow, has stayed firm in his decision and even blames the Stewarts’ agent for the . He says:

“If we get a player who does something unacceptable… I don’t want to pay him. If he’s sitting in jail, I don’t think I oughta be paying him. His agent wants it to be if he acted in a terrible fashion… something that rises to the level of going to prison, we’d be on the line for the guarantee.”

On the other hand, the agent, Zac Hiller, is also trying his best to stand his ground and support the player. The agent has his say:

“If we get a player who does something unacceptable… I don’t want to pay him. If he’s sitting in jail, I don’t think I oughta be paying him. His agent wants it to be if he acted in a terrible fashion… something that rises to the level of going to prison, we’d be on the line for the guarantee. We aren’t going to compromise on protections that are standard for every other pick in his range. But we also know what’s at stake here. Time is not on anyone’s side.”

When Duke Tobin commented on the situation, the agent even responded by saying, “Duke Tobin has had no involvement in this negotiation. It seems to be above his pay grade”.

Additionally, the recent draft picks for the Bengals, such as Amari Mims, Ja’Marr Chase, or Tee Higgins, don’t have Void Clauses in their contracts, making the situation even worse. This is why Stewart’s camp feels that they are being treated harshly by the Owners.

However, LB Demetrius Knight Jr, who was the second-round pick for the team, did sign the Void Clause Contract as well, but for 75% Bonus Upfront, which seemed unusual considering the Bengals’ history.

If Stewart signs the Void Contract, which could mean he will miss payments, and Bengals can even cancel all remaining guarantees, even if he gets injured while engaging in prohibited activities, faces legal troubles, or violates team/NFL rules.

This could also open doors for other NFL teams, and similar cases may arise in the future.

In Case You Didn’t Know

• Shemar Stewart is currently training independently at Texas A&M, where he last played College Football.
• Even though The Footballer has no known history of offense or off-field incident before, The Bengals are pushing for the Void Clause Contract.
• The Defensive End featured in 37 games for the University from 2026 to 2026, before being selected for the draft.

• Check other Articles on

Anish Koirala has loved sports since he was a kid. He grew up playing basketball and soccer, and that passion stayed with him over the years. Today, Anish works as a writer and editor, sharing his knowledge and love for the game through articles and stories. He uses his playing experience to make his writing clear, thoughtful, and fun to read.

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